12/10/2010

Friday in the Fort with Jeri Smith-Ready

Let me say this. Jeri Smith-Ready is made of awesome-sauce. She's funny, smart, not to mention freaking prolific. And I'm so happy to have her in The Fort!

About Jeri: Jeri Smith-Ready’s most recent release is the short story “Thief” in the YA vampire anthology ETERNAL: MORE LOVE STORIES WITH BITE, edited by PC Cast. 2011 will bring the second in her YA ghost series, SHIFT, and the fourth in her adult vampire series, LET IT BLEED. She loves to hear from readers, so please visit her at www.jerismithready.com, or better yet, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jerismithready) or Twitter (@jsmithready), where she spends far too much time.Favorite comfort food?
Kraft Macaroni ‘n’ Cheese. Only the original, neon orange powder version will do. I eat it straight out of the pot, with a wooden spoon, while watching a so-bad-it’s-good movie. (I only do this when alone, obviously—no way I’m sharing my precious M&C pot with my husband! *snarl*) No leftovers, because the mac ‘n’ cheese mysteriously loses itsflavor when reheated. It’s this ethereal thing that must be loved and consumed in haste, or lost forever.

So I eat the whole box at once. Not a problem.

Favorite game?
Football. It combines the strategy of chess with the beauty of ballet. And the hitting—I
really like the hitting.

Flannel, fleece or Snuggie?
If we’re talking blankets, then definitely fleece. It’s the one most likely to get a cat
kneading my lap and purring. They are little fleece junkies.

If you had to choose Snuggie, which color would you pick?
Don’t make me choose a Snuggie. My husband got us a pair for Christmas when they
first came out. It took him almost an hour to order them over the phone because they
kept trying to sell him other stuff, then they didn’t arrive until February, and then I
practically drowned in mine, it was so big. Mine is now being used to cover a cardboard
box of books so my cat doesn’t chew it (the box).

Sorry, the answer is blue.

Fluffy socks or slippers?
Fluffy socks! My feet are always cold in the winter, so I go through them like crazy.
Most of mine now have holes in them, which gives me Sad Face. New ones can be sent
to my attention at PO Box 66, Westminster, MD 21158.

Favorite winter drink?
Hot cider. With a cinnamon stick.

Ghost story or no? Do you remember any from slumber parties past?
I love ghost stories, even though I’m easily spooked. I remember several, all of which
had stupid endings. But it didn’t matter—it was the images that jumped out at me, like
the one with the haunted china doll that, um, well, I don’t remember what it did, but it
was scary.

And then there was the one with the kid Johnny who killed…someone, I don’t remember,
but their ghost came back and as it was entering the house and coming up the stairs it
chanted, “Johhhhhny, I’m on the firrrrrrst step…Johhhhny, I’m on the second step” and
so on, until it finally got to Johnny’s bed, and then the storyteller would go, “BOO!” But
lying awake at night I wouldn’t remember the lame ending, only the spooky part. I’d
make up my own horrific ending.

Truth? Or dare?
Truth. Because you can always make something up. Especially if you’re a writer.

What singer/musician/band is a must have for The Fort soundtrack?
Cake! They’re so fun to dance and sing at the top of your lungs to. The mood would
never be glum.

What movie would you bring to watch?
Are we mostly writers in the Fort? If so, STRANGER THAN FICTION with Will
Ferrell and Emma Thompson. I could watch that movie again and again, and then write a
book about it. And then watch it again.

Who's the ideal mascot for The Fort and why?
I’m going to go with an old crush and say Leonardo DiCaprio. Still so very, very hot,
and he could probably give us energy-saving tips to help us avoid global warming.
Maybe he could even tell us if the spinning top ever fell at the end of INCEPTION.

Marshmallows, lightly toasted or burned to a crisp?
Lightly toasted. Evenly tan, all the way around, just enough to crackle when you bite
into it. *drools*

If you could have any YA author visit the fort and tell stories, who would it be and whatstory would you ask them to tell?
Ooh, I would have Madeline L’Engle visit the Fort. I guess at that point her best story
would be how she came back from the dead to visit the Fort. Right?

YAY! Thanks for visiting, Jeri! And to continue the awesome, Jeri will be giving away a signed copy of SHADE. You don't want to miss this one!

Thanks for having me at the Fort, Myra! And thanks for that lovely, lovely, lovely photo of Leo. *stares* Ack, where's the time gone? I gotta run now and take my dog to swim therapy (don't laugh--okay, laugh).

Aw, I love her! She'd be such a fun friend for a sleepover! Except we obviously couldn't have Mac&cheese cuz she wouldn't share. Love that she'd take truth so she could lie. Perfect. Super interview, Myra. Yours are so fun!

Okay, now I am forced to google that "Johnny is on the first step" story. Not so much because I just HAVE to know how it ends...but because I feel a strong desire to pass the torch and torture my little ghost lover with it! (And she will roll her eyes at me at the end, and give me that look that reminds me of just how OLD I really am, OLD and LAME!) Ill make a pot of mac and cheese, she will forgive me! Can't wait to read the latest Jeri!